May 2024: Expanding Our Mission

Dear Friends,

As I write this, I am on the train returning from New York where fellow board members Edie Morrill, John Beddingfield and I attended The Church Club of New York’s Annual Dinner.

Archbishop Cottrell reflects on Pilgrimage

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, was the guest speaker. His topic was “Things That I Learned on a Very Long Walk.” Archbishop Cottrell walked Camino de Santiago’s El Norte route in 2016. He wrote a book of sonnets and reflections called Striking Out about his experience. Being a Camino book junkie, I bought it when it first came out and highly recommend it.

His talk was witty, informative and his observations resonated with those of us in the room who had taken the Santiago pilgrimage.

Before bringing you up to date on the recent activities of the Friends, I want to share with you two exciting developments.

It has always been our intention to be more than a “hotel for pilgrims” arriving in Santiago. While we want to give any guest who spends time with us the best possible experience, as our mission states, we strive to offer more than hospitality. We want to be an ecumenical place that offers healing, hope, learning and love. In recent weeks, we have made progress both on the ecumenical front and in the ministry of healing, hope and love.

Ecumenical Energy

I have long prayed that the Friends and the Anglican Chaplaincy could overcome their differences and collaborate on pilgrim ministry. For years these two organizations have had parallel and separate ministries in Santiago, something that seemed wrong and embarrassing to me: How could we be ecumenical if Anglican/Episcopalians were working separately? But since February, representatives of both groups have been in contact and after two zoom meetings, I am happy to report that beginning this summer we will be working together. Clergy from The Spanish Episcopal Church, The Episcopal Church in the United States, The Church of England, and the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe will now share the ministry at Casa Anglicana and Santa Susana. I am grateful to all who were involved with these discussions and especially to Bishop Carlos who generously offered the same free bed and breakfast at La Casa to each of our new partners as he gives to those who serve on behalf of the Friends. May this be the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboration.

If you are an Anglican/Episcopal priest or deacon in good standing in your own diocese, speak Spanish, have walked the Camino, and are interested in being part of this group going forward, please email me at nancyhmead@gmail.com.

Recovery and the Camino

The second exciting news is our recently formed partnership with the local recovery community and Alcoholics Anonymous, also known to one another as “Friends of Bill.” Brenda Barnes of Toronto, Canada, and founder of the Camino Recovery Group approached me about the possibility of the Anglican Friends hosting open meetings for English-speaking pilgrims who have been on the Camino. As their mission reflects ours, we enthusiastically said yes. Meetings began in late April and will meet daily at least through October at Casa Anglicana, 3 Rua da Pena da Porta at 6pm, unless a schedule conflict requires a move to Santa Susana. For more information, please contact Brenda Barnes either by What’s App-+1 (416)8018176) or at brenbarnes@live.ca

On May 1st, we celebrated the first anniversary of the opening of the Centre at Casa Anglicana in Santiago. I am proud of how much we have accomplished and grateful to all of those who have made this progress possible, especially those working at La Casa Anglicana.

Our house managers Felipe and Alejandro, and housekeeper Nelli do an excellent job of welcoming pilgrims and ensuring their physical needs are taken care of, whether arranging transportation to Sarria for stranded pilgrims, delivering forgotten cell phones, putting up coat racks, loading furniture, washing dishes, or adding gluten-free bread to the daily breakfast. They do it all, and with a smile. Thank you to each one of you.

A Deacon’s Ministry

On the pastoral side, Deacon Anita Catron, the first of our Rota of pilgrim missioners, arrived on April first after a wet and windy week on the Camino.

In true Friends’ style, Deacon Anita “hit the road running.” The next day she was welcomed at Santa Susana by Archdeacon Francisco Javier and Deacon Adeli, participated in the bilingual Eucharist, and welcomed the congregation at an agape back at La Casa after the service.

Deacon Anita, like the Spanish Episcopal Church, is small but mighty, and she proves that Deacons get it done. Thank you, Deacon Anita.

My daughter Emma and I spent the week after Easter at La Casa. Greeting us was a corridor full of plumbing boxes in anticipation of our upcoming renovations. When the work will be completed is a mystery. I have learned that nothing in Spain moves quickly. To quote Vita Sackville West who waited 20 years for some bulbs she had planted in her garden to bloom, “Good things are worth waiting for.” Hopefully not 20 years.

A Rainbow Garden

Speaking of gardens, our rental car got a workout as Emma, Felipe and I spent four days hauling tables, shrubs, pots, and endless bags of soil to give the garden its spring cleanup and hopefully make it easier for Felipe to maintain. This work was made possible by a donation of Henry Cox and husband Michael Kunkel. Henry was a valuable member of our Steering Committee and one of the first major donors to our campaign. This past winter his desire to endow a “Rainbow Café” pivoted to a “Rainbow Garden.” Sadly, Henry died just after Easter and was never able to visit Santiago or Casa Anglicana. This garden is a fitting memorial to him and his love of our project and his generosity. May he rest in peace.

During our time in Santiago and a side trip to Finisterre, Emma and I met up with pilgrims from around the world. Father Timothy Khoo returned to La Casa and added his Singapore dot to our map, joining recent ones from Siberia and Uzbekistan. At Finisterre, in spite of the gale force winds, we celebrated with Mirjanne who had walked all the way from her home in the Netherlands, and with a mother and son from Japan. Popularity in the Camino continues to grow and the Friends of the Anglican Centre In Santiago is privileged to play a small part in this life changing experience.

Just after we returned to the US, Board member Father Spencer Reese and ten members of his parish St. Paul’s, Wickford, RI spent time on the Camino and stayed several nights at La Casa.

For nine years Fr. Spencer was with Bishop Carlos at the Cathedral in Madrid. He and his parishioners had come to see for themselves the room they have “adopted”. From the scribbled notes taken by Spencer of the measurements taken by the Bishop standing in the original stone sink, this former upstairs kitchen complete with stone fireplace will become a library named in honor of the girls at Our Little Roses Orphanage in Honduras.

Making new friends for the Centre

Finally, Edie and I went to the annual Episcopal Parish Network (EPN) (formerly CEEP) Conference in Houston Texas. As always, our booth was a popular spot and due to a lucky repositioning, our backdrop had maximum visibility. We answered questions, saw old friends, and made new ones. In addition to expanding our mailing list, we have had 14 requests for parish zooms to learn about our work and four requests for in-person parish visits/presentations. Pilgrimage was a popular theme, whether at the Berkeley Center’s Pilgrimage Building Campaign complete with shell decals, or the National Episcopal Church’s Camino Project for Families and Congregations. Who knew the Friends were influencers in the making?

It was encouraging to meet a younger generation of clergy who have discovered the joys and benefits of walking the Camino alone, with their peers, or with their parishioners.

We’ll be at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in Louisville, Kentucky from June 20-28. Our booth is right beside the food court. Come visit us and “talk Camino.” We’ll share with you our plans for learning opportunities during the off-season and we’ll give you a shell. We have a suitcase full of them waiting for you.

As always, I thank you for your prayers and your support,

Nancy H. Mead, Board President

Donations made by check can be mailed to:

The Friends of the Anglican Centre in Santiago de Compostela
PO Box 1789
Radio City Station
New York, NY 10101-1789

Click to donate online

EIN 81-3926530